An April 1st THE LOG news article (Click to read) talked about The Oceanside Harbor and Beaches Advisory Committee recommending no fee increases, and many Oceanside boaters thought this was more good news, following OC DPH's announcement at the March 19th DPBA general meeting that there would be no Dana Point Harbor slip or dry storage increases at this time.

Quoting boater and slip renter Tom Regan, "It was a great day for all the boaters in Oceanside Harbor".

However, it turns out that the Oceanside City Staff has very different ideas.  Indeed, recommendations for significant fee increases are going before the Oceanside City Council for approval at 5 PM tomorrow night, April 8, and these increases are, well... HUGE!

For example, slip rates go up 2 bucks per linear foot in two bumps, of a buck each.  That's a 21% increase over two years for boats under 30 feet!  Another example, the existing liveaboard surcharge (addition to base slip rent per foot) will double, from $2.50 to $5.00 per linear foot!

There's a lot at stake: Slip fee increases, landside redevelopment, slip size re-mix, new dock layouts, star moorings, etc.  (You do want to have a say here don't you?)  

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began the annual maintenance dredging of Oceanside Harbor on Thursday, April 2, 2009. The dredging is expected to take about two weeks and remove approximately 200,000 cubic yards of material from the approach channel and the entrance channels to Oceanside and Del Mar Channels.

The dredging will restore the harbor entrance to a minimum depth of 20 feet. That depth will reduce the size of waves entering the harbor, protecting small craft moored there and providing safe passage for recreational boats, commercial fishing and military vessels. The U.S. Navy and the Corps of Engineers are providing funding in the third year of a three-year contract. For further information, contact Greg Fuderer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District Public Affairs Office, at 213-479-8698, or visit the ACE Web site at http://www.spl.usace.army.mil/

About The Dana Point Boaters Association

DPBA is an education and advocacy group for the recreational boaters of Dana Point Harbor. Membership is very inexpensive and open to families interested in the many different kinds of recreational boating in Southern California, from kayaking and fishing to sailboat racing and motor cruising.